Visiting Istanbul: Gilded Scour

“There is a ghostliness to traveling the world, a sense of not profoundly affecting things around you. There is so little time for a passerby to create an impact. But there is always the potential for damage when wandering, thoughtless actions diminishing the world so lovingly experienced. As such, one must first learn to tread softly in all lands” – Old Sean

Mist Munch Morning

Currently, I’m on vacation with my friend Jackie exploring Istanbul. During the previous day, we explored an enormous chunk of the city, walking up and down hills, sighting cats and generally getting into the vibe of Istanbul.

The following day turned out to be a different type of journey. Jackie and I planned on hopping over The Golden Horn where we hoped to explore some of the city’s most famous attractions. 

Once again, for myself, this would be a revisiting of old memories. For Jackie, I would be the operational tour guide for the foreseeable day. It was her first time visiting many of these sites.

After a somewhat groggy morning of waking up and enjoying the sounds of a slight rain outside, Jackie and I followed a road leading to an overlook of Istanbul. We eventually turned towards the south, seeking out the Ada Cafe Bookstore.

We easily settled in for a hearty breakfast. A cat stayed perched outside our window, hunched adorably, sitting upright with its tail wrapped around to warm its paws. The poor thing was clearly quite drowsy, since its head tilted down and its whole body swayed lower and lower until it was a snoozing ball after fifteen minutes or so. 

Our breakfast included mulled wine, numerous types of cheese, crumbly breads and a tomato-based dipping sauce called acuka turkish sauce which Jackie developed a mild obsession with. We saved the ham for the snoozing cat outside. 

Over the Golden Horn

After breakfast, Jackie and I made our way down the hill to find a place to purchase tickets. We quickly boarded a train which ushered us over The Golden Horn to Sultanahmet, arguably the most historically-potent and touristy district in Istanbul. 

Sultanahmet is home to a range of the most famed features of the city, including The Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace Museum and The Blue Mosque. 

However, I thought it was best to ease ourselves into entertainment. Rain was still pattering down, and though it was light enough that we didn’t need an umbrella, I didn’t want to rush around in that soft climate. 

We started walking through Gülhane Park, which remains beautiful even in misty weather. There were numerous trees with bright, yellow leaves and winding pathways attended by defiant seagulls. We passed the enormous globe encased in glass in front of the Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam. Sadly, the museum itself wasn’t quite open, but the globe is an impressive ancient model of the then-known world. The continents are to scale, though half the globe is a foreboding blackness called “The Dark Sea” in Arabic, an enormous expanse of unknown where the Americas are. 

While walking, Jackie and I spotted Gülhane Park Cistern. Now, the most famous cistern in Istanbul is the massive Basilica Cistern, which is an echoing expanse and requires tickets to enter. However, cisterns are well-preserved throughout the region. There is also the Cistern of Theodosius, the Binbirdirek Cistern and the more-intimate Gülhane Park Cistern. The Gülhane Park Cistern is the one Jackie and I were able to easily visit without tickets.

Gülhane Park Cistern is a peaceful pocket of contained echoes in the middle of the park with masks hanging from chains giving the entire place an unreal vibe. I wouldn’t recommend people visit it after seeing the Basilica Cistern, as Gülhane Park Cistern might seem underwhelming. But for first time visitors, it’s a nice prelude.

Our continuous walk through the park also brought us past the ruins of the Orphanage of Hagios Paulos. Later, slipping on yellow leaves, we visited the Column of the Goths, Roman victory column dating to the third or fourth century A.D. It stood tall in a garden of pale, canary-colored roses. 

Eventually, our walking took us to the grand gates of the Topkapi Palace Museum, though we opted not to go inside this time. The interior is, as many visitors know, spectacular. But I’ve been before and I wanted to stretch our budget somewhat. Plus the lines extending out the gates were a bit of a repellant.

Afterwards, we trotted back downhill to fortify ourselves with caffeine at Gülhane Sur Cafe. The outdoor seating was warm and a tiny kitten promptly walked over when she saw us sipping at coffee. After she was denied a sip of my coffee, she gave me a pointed look, crawled onto Jackie’s lap and dove into her jacket, snuggling warmly. 

If I said I wasn’t charmed and jealous, I’d be lying. 

There, World Wonder

We spent the next chunk of time walking up Soğuk Çeşme Sk. viewing the numerous tall mansions there. There was one specific building that merited our attention above all others. 

The Hagia Sophia loomed. 

Getting inside wasn’t difficult, exactly, but it took a bit of patience. A slow line crept inside. I had fortunately brought my travel buff, or magic scarf, which served as a de-facto head-covering for Jackie. A bunch of old people, for whatever reason, kept cutting in front of us in line. And metal-detector security, while easy to pass, slowed things down somewhat.

But finally, we had entered.

The Hagia Sophia embodies the history of Istanbul in a way few other buildings can. It has seen the lasting legacy of the Eastern Romans, the strength of Christianity in Europe, the march of crusades, the establishment of the Ottomans and the multitude of influences within Turkey. 

Constructed in the ages of the Eastern Roman Empire, it was completed in 537 AD. The site was an Eastern Orthodox church from 360 AD to 1204 before eventually converting to a Catholic Church during the Fourth Crusade. However, the site’s nature continued to develop, changing religious nature again during the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It served as a mosque until 1935, when it became a museum. In 2020, the site once again became a mosque.

At the time I visited, the site was an active mosque, an imam speaking over the low murmur of a tourist army.

The Hagia Sophia is filled with symbolism and relics. There are Byzantine architectural influences, a striking dome, an interior of hanging lights, soft carpets and faded images of angels, crosses, Islamic calligraphy and fine marble structures.  

Jackie and I removed our shoes to walk within, rotating through crowds. Many were simple tourists but there were active prayers ongoing throughout the rooms. There was even an odd cat or two who sauntered in for attention. Jackie and I spent long moments staring around the room, noting Christian mosaics alongside Arabic letters. The voice of the imam continuously hummed calmly over the crowd from a far portion of the room.

Truthfully, descriptions are impossible. Describing the entirety of The Hagia Sophia would take several more posts. Suffice to say, it’s an architectural and historical treasure in more ways than one. 

The Hagia Sophia, by continued existence and sustained grandeur, deserves awe of all watchers. 

Upscale Upsell

Following our time in The Hagia Sophia, Jackie and I started exploring Sultanahmet. We spent a small chunk of time walking to The Blue Mosque where we were struck by a small-time scammer. 

The older I’ve gotten, the less patience I’ve had for people. That goes especially strongly for scammers and taxi drivers, both of whom are utter leeches populating some of the world’s most beautiful tourist attractions.  As Jackie and I walked up to The Blue Mosque, a man in an umbrella stopped us.

“Sorry,” he said in slightly-accented English. “It’s prayer time. The mosque is closed for now. It’ll reopen at five but until then, you’re welcome to see the bazaar. I can take you there.”

The fellow was deferential and earnest. And brazen. And a bald-faced liar. As he spoke past a smile, three Asian tourists walked inside. The man’s eyes never wavered as he attempted to steer us into a nearby scam or, at the very least, pressure us to buy junk no soul on earth needs.

People tire me so swiftly in this day and age. We thanked the idiot, told him we would explore the outer portions of The Blue Mosque and walked inside once he turned away slightly. 

Honestly, it never ends.

A Reign of Histories

With another charlatan bypassed, The Blue Mosque is a gorgeous structure, far more traditionally Islamic than The Hagia Sophia. It was a delight to walk around the courtyard, feet slipping slightly on wet stone. Once Jackie and I departed, we made a slow loop through Sultanahmet Square.

Sultanahmet Square is a special corner of Istanbul. It was once the primary ancient hippodrome, used in ancient eras as a stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. The space is especially unique for the number of incredible monuments and artifacts there. The Obelisk of Theodosius stands here, an Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III, re-erected by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century CE.

Aside from the iconic hieroglyphs on the surface, there are also pale, sharp white carvings and Latin letters around the base. The Obelisk, like many other features of the square, actually sits below surface level. Ages of construction and urban sink have caused the modern square to exist several meters above the original ancient hippodrome. 

Nearby, there’s also the Greek-styled Serpent Column, a trinity of metal curves which once would have hosted a trio of now-lost serpent heads. Beyond this stood the blocky formation of the Hippodrome of Constantinople’s pillar obelisk. 

There are other features here decidedly worthy of note. Nearby was The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, The Hagia Sophia History Museum, the German Fountain, the decorated Sultan Ahmet Tomb, the Binbirdirek Cistern, the Basilica Cistern, the Palace of Antiochos and more. 

Tourism bug thoughougly scratched, Jackie and I went out seeking a place for dessert and possibly an early lunch. 

However, we weren’t quite done with pushy salesfolk yet. Stopping by a couple of shops, we were quickly granted seats and tea despite my weariness. We were given the hard-sell for Turkish Delights. To be honest, the tea and treats were delicious. I was tempted to buy a couple for a sales-pitch well-done until my eyes fell over the price. 

Four digits of lira swam in front of my eyes.

Knowing I was utterly unwilling to spend so much money on a snack and sip of hot liquid, I made our excuses and urged Jackie out the door. 

The expense was a pity. It was excellent tea. 

Beginnings of Bizarre 

Jackie and I soon made our way to Arasta Bazaar, where Jackie plundered gold shops and I sought out chocolate places. However, despite the beauty of the shopping area, neither of us were very successful.

We spent additional time walking around the various back roads to the south of The Blue Mosque, but our strides were fruitless. There were plenty of eateries and hotels, but most were ostentatiously expensive. Brash salesfolk stood out in the rain, boldly shouting for us to go inside and eat their wildly expensive food.

Jackie and I weren’t terribly tempted. We eventually escaped that district to reach a more natural part of the city where a trio of meowing cats soothed us by pointedly walking over and asking for attention. 

 We continued on our way, stopping for a souffle and passing an odd array of multi-legged and highly colorful sphinx-like statues. These pointed us onwards until we reached the metal-reinforced Column of Constantine which once served as an Ancient Roman monument. From here, it was a short jaunt to one of my favorite places in Istanbul. 

The Grand Bazaar lives up to its name. The historic underground complex sells more goods than imagination can easily capture. There are antique shops, art studios, odd relic shops, newfangled clothing stores, upscale venues, tiny pawn shops, tea salesmen and all sorts of interesting nooks. My personal favorite is the shop Minyatur Deniz Eskisi, which sells impressive nautical antiques in a brass-covered shop. I make a point of stopping by every time I’m in town to browse with a slightly-agape mouth.

However, the highlight of this portion of our trip was the gold shops. Jackie, true to form, was enjoying her hobby of gold hunting. She was seeking out a specific style and karat of earrings. She walked into shop after shop, browsing, questioning and expertly comparing. She also brought a bundle of golden jewelry from home she no longer used, wheeling and dealing, working out an exchange for her happiness. As someone slightly adverse to shops in general, it was kind of astonishing to watch.

Eventually, Jackie found something close to what she was looking for. I convinced her to make one last stop for the evening before dinner. We walked down numerous darkened alleys past rapidly closing shops at night.

Soon, we arrived at the Egyptian Bazaar where I sampled more Turkish Delights, browsed food-oriented shops and snapped photos of snaking symbols on walls.

The Light of Rain-Brushed Stone

After finishing our trip through the bazaars, Jackie and I were both hungry. Previously, we had seen a place called Little Piece of Asia, an authentic Chinese eatery. Since Jackie was craving some eastern cuisine, we made strides in that direction. 

While there was still a light mist pattering down on us, the walk itself was gorgeous. Istanbul, unsurprisingly, is a city which looks exquisite in the rain at night. 

Light from regal buildings reflected off the ground, giving the entire world an impressionist vibe. Neon blazed with outsized impact, headlights brought the world in sharp relief from time to time and statues stood stoic with tendrils of water tracing their edges. 

Above, we saw the soft blue lights rising past Yeni Cami Mosque. Shopping centers, strangely noble in the light, guided the edges of our walk. A red-and-white striped building marked an uphill corner. Other portions were blessed by yellowish street lights, ringed by small  red-or-white Turkish flags. 

We finally made it to Little Piece of Asia, fortunately ordering before a massive crowd of tourists entered and clamored for their food. We ate, paid and exited back into the night.

Back Over the Horn

After taking a train back to Karaköy, Jackie and I ended up missing our stop due to a hiccup of negligence on my part. We opted to walk back towards Karaköy, stopping to look at the Rainbow Steps on the way.

Unfortunately, we were ambushed by a young girl, no more than nine, with a diamond nose stud attempting to sell us a packet of tissues. 

Children selling things and performing on the streets tears my heart like taffy everytime. Especially since I don’t think there’s a good method for gracefully handling it.

On one hand, passing along cash to a needy child should be the foremost desire of any decent human being. But on the other hand, children don’t usually sell tissues on street corners at their own discretion. In my experience, it’s generally a rather predatory adult attempting to capitalize on a child’s native innocence to make sales. But if this doesn’t work, children are trained to crank up the guilt factor.

Sure enough, once I indicated I wouldn’t buy her wares, the poor lass clung to my waist, even as I walked. My wallet was safely tucked away in a hidden pocket and my phone was in my palm, so I wasn’t terribly worried about pickpocketing. But the girl’s voice grew insistent and a bit sorrowful, masterfully insistent that I help her in any way I could. When we passed a grocery store, she thrust a free hand out, begging me to buy her a drink from the shop, interspacing her words between broken English and distraught Turkish.

Eventually, she gave up on me, making me feel like I had iron settling along my stomach lining. Paying children in scenarios like that, I fear, only enables the people using them as a payday. It potentially creates a more lucrative, predatory business where adults train impoverished kids to do their bidding. The last thing any traveler should do is enable that sort of business with their financial weight.

That’s what I always tell myself when I’m traveling and experience this. 

But I felt like trash while walking, nonetheless.

Pre-Sleep Streets

Eventually, Jackie and I reached our actual destination. We stopped at Karaköy for another chocolate dessert at Cafe Moon. Admittedly, that was probably a bit too much food. But the chocolate, as always, was far too good to skip.

We decided to move a little bit before bed, hoping to burn off some of the Chinese food and chocolate which had so memorably dominated our evening. Walking through Karaköy afterwards was lovely, lights and chatter accenting the slow journey.

Jackie and I stopped several times to view red and white Christmas lights and other decorations. We also paused for views across the waters, gazing at the distant mosques we had just visited earlier that day.

But true night was upon us. And we were both exhausted from a second day of heavy exploration. 

For the rest of the evening, we gradually walked uphill, past Galata Tower and numerous shops, eventually arriving back at our Airbnb. 

Once again, I’m forced to end a post before I end a journey. Istanbul has proved too active to adequately cover in a single article. Not even two articles were sufficient to cover all events, experiences and flyaway thoughts. As such, I’m ending here.

Tomorrow is yet another day of life in Turkey. More photos and adventures will, of course, be included.

So until then,

Best regards and excellent trails,

Old Sean

Written December 9th, 2023

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